The Centre Will Return
by NicoleTheresa1
Summary: After being separated for four years watch as Sydney and Adrian reunite with the most unexpected help. Short little oneshot. Ramblings that I needed to get out after rereading the series for the 3rd time.


**Welcome to this little one shot. It's not much and it's not the best work I have done but it has been in my head for a while now! enjoy**

The center will hold

The center will hold

The center will hold

He told me over and over again that the center will hold because we are the center. I wanted so badly to believe him because I love him more than I ever thought I could love another person. I used to make fun of those girls who fell so completely in love because I didn't believe love to be real. At least not true love, not romantic love. My parents were never a good example of love for me. My mom tried but my father…. Well it's a miracle she stayed as long as she did.

I wanted to believe that Adrian and I would last forever, that we could have the relationship that came so naturally to other people. Too bad things don't always happen the way you want them too.

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Four years ago my life changed completely. It started out as a simple mission; protect Jillian Dragomir. I never expected to help Adrian Ivashkov with his little problems let alone fall for him. He is after all a member of the Moroi race. A race of living vampires that walk the earth like regular humans. Jill is the same, they both come from royal lines and are very important to the race. I was with them for five months when things went haywire. My little sister Zoe got assigned to help with the mission and found out about my secret love affair with Adrian. She then ratted us out to my father and I got sent to Alchemist re-education.

The Alchemist organization is a group of very religious humans who help protect the world from the vampire races and keep the secrets. A lot of it is record keeping but this group has been around for hundreds of years.

After suffering through re-education and trying to keep my sanity by telling them what they wanted to hear they finally let me go. It took a lot of money on my mother's part to bribe my way out. I also had to promise I would stay away from any and all Alchemist business and the Moroi. They didn't know where I was or how to get me and my father made sure it stayed that way. After being in the world only a short time on my own with just my mom around I started to go a little crazy. I tried reading history text books to keep calm but it only worked a little, and within no time I was sent to a mental hospital and filled with drugs again. I just wanted to be free and I wanted to be with Adrian. He never came for me though.

I remember being in that re-education center. They filled the air with a drug that kept us on our toes or put us to sleep. I also remember they took the most important thing from me. Something I knew I couldn't hide forever no matter how hard I wished too. My child. My child with Adrian. I don't know if it is a boy or a girl or if it even survived. They refused to tell me anything just that it was an abomination to them.

Today though after years of therapy and medication for depression I am finally free. My mind feels clearer then it has in such a long time. My mom and I decided to go for a drive into Pittsburgh to do some shopping. I had finally put my past behind me and felt comfortable going out into the world and my mom felt shopping was the best way to get back out there.

We had been in the mall for hours, bags hung from both of our arms and my feet were starting to ache. Soft music filled the air above us as the speakers played and the sound of laughter could be heard from the children's play area. I sat down on the bench, surrounded by the bags as my mom ran to the bathroom. A small little girl squealed as she ran past me down the hall. Her little blonde ringlets bounced in her pigtails. "Freya Daniella Ivashkov get back here right now!" A stern familiar voice sounded from down the hall. I looked up quickly, my breath knocked from my lungs. He hadn't seen me yet and I felt like I wanted to vanish into the floor. I could see his green eyes glinting in the florescent lighting. The little girl stopped and turned to face him. She was clearly a dhampir child and she couldn't be more than three and a half or so. It clicked in my mind. The alchemists gave her to Adrian. My daughter was running around the mall and Adrian was so close I could reach out and touch him.

"Papa I want to hear the story!" He knelt down close to her, he was so much closer to me then he had been in over four years I wanted to cry.

"Which story?"

"The one about mommy, you tell it so good." He smiled a small little bit and my heart melted.

"Alright well mommy… She was very pretty with her golden hair and pretty brown eyes and she was smart too in every subject."

"Aunty Rosie says she was a know it all."

"Aunt Rose is just jealous of how awesome your mom was." Adrian said lightly. "If I could find her I would Frey you know that right?" She nodded her head, her little pig tails falling forwards with her movements. "I searched in dreams for years I still do sometimes… I never get through though."

"Is she with Aunty Tatty?"

"I don't know."

"Okay." She said quietly.

"Come on let's go, Nella and Declan are waiting for us." He stood up and held out his hand. Freya ignored it and ran back to where Daniella was standing next to a boy about the same age. Adrian had yet to move from where he stood, his gaze staring up at the ceiling. I stood from my spot a bag landing with a thud on the floor. He turned his attention to me, his eyes going huge for a moment.

"Adrian." I said in almost a whisper. I thought for a moment he was going to bolt but before I knew it his arms had wrapped around me and he held me tight against him. I could feel a wetness leaking into my hair. Soon my own tears ran tracks down my face. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Shh." He whispered. "Sydney I thought… I thought you might be…" He tried to pull himself together. He pulled back from the hug but kept his hands on my arms. "You're alive."

"They kept me drugged in re-education. Then I was freed but my mom sent me to a hospital where they kept me on medication. I think it blocked you out."

"You're alive."

"Adrian?"

"They kept you from me, from us."

"About that. I didn't know until after I got there and by then I couldn't get word to you and they took her. I didn't even know she was a girl until today and I thought they did something horrible to her. I am so glad they gave her to you." I rambled on. From the corner of my eye I could see my mom coming back from the washroom and Daniella getting closer. "I'm sorry Adrian so sorry."

"You dad showed up at court one day with a baby. He just said here and dropped her off. I knew instantly… Then Olive and Neil had a kid…"

"How?"

"Spirit… Long story." He said. I nodded. "Now I have been raising two kids and I have missed you so much." He was close to me again, his face only inches from mine.

"Sydney?" My mom questioned standing just behind Adrian.

"Mom!" I said loudly. "I can explain."

"No need Sydney, I know who this is. I can tell." She started. "Don't worry I won't tell the Alchemists or your father." Mom told me with a smile. Daniella was next to us now.

"What does she mean?" Daniella questioned.

"She paid a lot of money and did a lot of begging to get me released from the organization. I had to promise to stay out of Alchemist affairs and to stay away from Moroi and Dhampir's. They will throw me back in re-education if they knew about this." I explained.

"Papa! I know her?" Freya exclaimed loudly. He looked from my face down to her.

"Yeah Frey." He started.

"Well Sydney, I have your things in the car we should get them into Adrian's car as soon as possible."

"What?" I asked dumbfounded. My brain was running a million miles a minute.

"Sweetheart do you really think Pittsburgh was not on purpose. I did some digging and with Carly's help I found out where Lord Ivashkov would be. You're not happy at home and you can't go back to your old life. You might as well go to the one you want. Be happy. I'll cover with your dad and as long as you stay hidden you should be fine."

"Mom are you kidding with me?" I said, my voice hard.

"She is not." A new voice said joining the conversation.

"Dad?" Adrian said in shock.

"Deb contacted me last week. Now get a move on before you get caught." Nathan Ivashkov said to everyone's astonishment. It was a whirlwind of emotion and activity as I hugged my mom goodbye for most likely the last time. Adrian kept a hand on my back or arm at all times. I couldn't blame him though. Soon we were piled into the SUV and driving back to court, my head on his shoulder. The hours ticked by as I got to know my daughter for the first time. Her high pitched giggles and her whispered secrets. Declan I learned loved his sister and was equally as happy to meet me.

I sat in the car just listening to them talk and laugh. Every once in a while Adrian pipped in with a comment. I was content to just sit quietly holding Adrian. I never thought I would see let alone feel him again. Even after all these years he still brings the best feelings to the surface.

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We were almost back to the Moroi Royal Court, the sky was darkening as the Moroi day began and the human one ended. "Papa?"

"Yeah Frey?"

"Is mommy going to live with us now?" She asked. I looked up through my lashes as Adrian, his face broke out into a wide grin.

"She sure is."

"Good."

"You're okay with that Freya? Declan?"

"Yep." They both sang loudly. I smiled brightly at them as the guardians at the gate let us in. A meeting with Lissa Ozera the queen was set in a few minutes to determine living situations as being out in the world was dangerous for me.

Finally after four long years I had everything I could ever need or want. I had my family.


End file.
